This drive-in restaurant near where I live has had bears in small pens to attract business ever since I can remember (50+ years). Finally, four local citizens filed a lawsuit requesting the bear be allowed placement in an appropriate sanctuary. The owner is seriously considering it, and I hope will make the right choice. I've always felt so bad whenever I passed by this business, seeing the bears in such small pens. Heck, my raccoon's pen is larger than this, and he's not in it 24/7!

Hopefully the bear will wind up in the hands of a private owner with bear experience instead.

If there's no one who will take it though, then I guess a sanctuary would be best--but then the sanctuary will start asking for donations and be panhandling about it. If the sanctuary is going to get money to house the bear, then why shouldn't the current owners get that money to build it a bigger enclosure?

It all just seems very sad and hypocritical. But the bear definitely does need more space, one way or the other. It would be best if it could stay where it's accustomed to, but have a lot bigger of an enclosure.

I agree that the best option would be to greatly enlarge Ricki's current pen and also add features that make it more comfortable and 'natural' for her, rather than ripping her from what she's known for 16 years and putting her in a totally different environment. But from everything I've read from the owner, it sounds like he's not willing to make that effort, and so placing her elsewhere seems like the more humane thing to do.

The latest update to the story has the owner saying he's exploring all of his options, but is not going to place her in just any sanctuary. He is wise enough to know that just because a place is called a 'sanctuary' doesn't make it better than her current environment. I just wish he would opt for keeping her where she is, but making improvements on her enclosure. I think those filing the lawsuit would be very satisfied with that outcome.

There are too many sanctuaries out there that would just use this bear's story as an "Oh, look how neglected and mistreated this poor animal has been. But we saved it, and that's why private ownership is bad!"

That being said, while the bear certainly needs more space, it isn't being abused, or mistreated. Hopefully he can wind up keeping the animal if he makes the changes the public would like to see, and what would be best for the animal.

OR he could turn the animal over to a private owner, or someone with bear experience. That would be best, if he does have to wind up giving her away.

Ricki has been relinquished by her former owner and relocated to an animal sanctuary in Colorado. She arrived Monday, Feb 9, and is currently in an acclimation pen pending her eventual release into a 20 acre enclosure, where she'll learn to live and interact with the other resident bears.

I'm a little disturbed at the size of the pen they're holding her in - it appears to be even smaller than her former digs - but I guess (hope) this place knows what they're doing. I hope she adapts well to her new home and enjoys the remainder of her years in an environment that is more welcoming, interesting, comfortable and natural for her. I wish Ricki well!

The acclimation cage will be smaller probably so they can keep a close eye on her and make sure she's healthy and doing okay. Also may be easy to give shots and things like that. But if she's going to a 20 acre enclosure with other bears, that's good too. Wish the original owner could have gotten some help to make her original enclosure bigger, but sounds like this is a good solution too.

It's understandable to be small but should be bigger as they aren't really quarantining since it's inside of the other bear's cage(they are just sleeping). It should be bigger so she has more room while she waits for them to wake up and so she wont feel trapped when the others do come to say high and she feels scared by them. At least it is meant to be temporary.

Wish the original owner could have gotten some help to make her original enclosure bigger, but sounds like this is a good solution too.

Agree totally, Ash. It would have presented far less stress on Ricki.

It should be bigger so she has more room while she waits for them to wake up and so she wont feel trapped when the others do come to say high and she feels scared by them. At least it is meant to be temporary.

My feelings, too, TG. But my hope is that the staff at this place has the experience and knowledge for whats best for the animal. I really hope Ricki adapts well and lives the remainder of her life in total happiness. Just the wide open spaces and little to no stress from human interaction should help with that. In the next couple of months, hoping there are updates on how her progress from our local journalists because the sanctuary's website doesn't appear to give much information on individual animals.